Closure-applying tool.



E. W. TATE.

CLOSURE APPLYING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.I6.1916.

1,261A58. Patent ed Apr 2,1918.

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ERVIN W. TATE, OF DEXTER, MAINE, ASSIGN OR TO NATIONAL METAL SEAL CORPORA- TION, OF DEERING J UN GTION, PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CLOSURE-APPLYING TOOL.

Application filed October 16, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERVIN W. TATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dexter, Penobscot county, State of Mame, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closure-Applying Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for applying closures to containing vessels, and particularly to a hand tool for seating a rotatable closure in hermetic sealing relation upon its container.

This device may be used to apply closures of various constructions, but for the purpose of illustration a cap is shown having a depending skirt or rim, which is knurled or otherwise roughened to permit the cap to be grasped and readily rotated, and provlded with a plurality of spaced inturned fingers adapted for engagement with a series of cam lugs on the container mouth. The cap is applied to the container and seated by rotation. In filling the containers for shipment it is required that they be sealed tightly, especially where the content 15 of a volatile nature, or where it is likely to be spoiled by exposure to air.

The production of such closures 1n commercial quantities makes liable the development of inequalities in the coacting sealing surfaces, and if these inequalities are not corrected, the seal will not be sufficiently perfect to protect the content from deterioration by access of air. thereto, evaporation, or the like.

The object" of my invention is to provide a simple and readily manipulatable device, illustrated as a hand tool for applying rotatable closures to containing vessels and for automatically correcting any interruption to the intended continuous bearing surfaces of closure and container, thereby to secure an impervious joint in every vessel sealed.

The construction and operation of my device is fully disclosed in the specification which follows. In the drawings accompanying that specification I have shown an embodiment which not only well illustrates the principles of my invention but is in itself a form found satisfactory in use and well adapted to the requirements of manu facture. Throughout the specification and drawings, like reference characters are cor- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Serial No..125,809.

respondingly applied and in these draw-- ceiving recess for the closure and a pair of gripping devices carried by said head and disposed for engagement with the rim of the cap whereby to turn the cap when the head is turned in one direction. These gripping devices preferably consist of oppositely mounted pawls adapted for engagement with the knurled rim of the cap and which rim thus constitutes a ratchet surface. The pawls are pivotally mounted and spring pressed to allow the cap to be inserted therepast and find its seat and to automatically move back to position to engage the cap rim and turn it when the head is turned in the proper direction. When the head is turned in the opposite direction the pawls ride idly over the ratchet surface of the cap rim without imparting rotation to the cap.

I have indicated at 1 a head provided with a strap or other handle 2, to enable the head to be effectively grasped. The head 1 has a depending annular rim 3 defining with the body portion of the head proper an annular cap receiving recess or seat 4, into which a cap is adapted to be inserted from below and to loosely fit.

The cap rim is recessed at opposite points as indicated at 5. Pivoted at 6, in said recesses is a pair of pawls 7, the free ends of which project in opposite directions into the cap receiving recess in position to engage opposite points of the knurled or otherwise roughened cap rim. The pawls 7 are held from movement in one direction by suitable pins 8, disposed to bear thereagainst, and are yieldable in the opposite direction to allow the cap to be inserted therepast and find its seat. The movement of the pawls in this ,direetion is resisted by coiled springs 10,

ing movement has forci 'ly mounted on laterally projecting studs 11 on the paWls and bearing against the rear Walls of the recesses 5 at their opposite ends. These springs automatically re-act against the pawls' to returnthem to position after they have yielded to allow a cap'to be in serted therepast. The pawls and the recesses in which they are mounted are covered by suitable cover plates 13 which are screwed or otherwisefastenedto the under face of the rim 3.

The specific type of closure for which the jtool shown is especially adapted consistsof a metallic or other flexible cap 1% having a depending annular rim' 15 which is knurled or otherwise'roughened as shown and which is provided with a seriespf. spaced inturned lng engagingfingers 16. The fingers of the cap cooperate with a series of spaced cam lugs 17 about th'e mouth of a glassor other rigid containing vessel 18, whereby the cap is drawn tightly onto the container as it is turned relative thereto. In-the' p articular embodiment shown, which is-a hand-tool, the peripheral configuration of the head'l is such as toprovide'a series of spaced-suitablycurved indentations, best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, into which the fingers of the operativeshand 'areadapted' to fit when the tool is manipulated, the palm of the hand bearing against 'the'top face of'the headl; and the strap 2 overlying and brac ing' the back of'thehand, andas here shown being provided with a buckle whereby the tool maybestrapped to the hand. In addition to this'function, the strap 2 provides a convenientsuspension loop forhanging up the tool on"'any suitable hook when not in use.""

In using my device, the cap is inserted from below into the receiving recess of'the head 1,01 picked 'up'by applyingthe tool t' othe caps as they lie 'onthe bench. The pivoted pawls 7 automatically yield inwardly and immediately return toe'ngage the ca'p rim after the cap has been inserted. The tool is then placed over the mouth of a containing vesseli with the inturned fingers ofjthe cap registered with the spaces "or gaps between the series of lugs about the containermouth," whereupon" the' tool is turned in the seating direction of the cap. This causes theexposed ends'ofthe pawls to engage the knurled rim 'or 'rat'c'het surface" of the cap, thereby compelling the loosely fitting cap to turn with the turning movement of the headnntil the limit of turning movement of'the' cap on the containeris reached. The cap is now'seated firmly upo'n'the container and in itsseatovercome any irregularities existing" between the cooperating bearing surfaces'of cap and container, thereby insuring an impervious seal. When the cap hasreached the limit of its seating rotation the head is disengaged by a simple separating movements The container is now sealed for shipment. Should the head be turned in a direction opposite to the seating direction of rotation of the cap "the p'awls' ride-idlypa'st' the knurls of the cap rim without imparting turning tendency to the cap.

l Vhile I have shown and described my device inits application to a closure and container'ofas'pecifictype, it will be understood that the device is capable of use with other types of closures, andI' donot therefore'limit'niyself to this application alone of my invention, but" reserve the right to employ my device in any capacity where it will satisfactorily perform its intended functions.'- Various other modifications in the form and constructions of my invention ma obviously'be-resorted'to if within the limits of the appended claims. 1

What I therefore" claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i '1. In combination, a head having an annularrim defining a "cap receiving space, said riin provided itli" a recess opening laterally into saidspace, and af'cap gripping member pivotechinsaid recess and lying whollytherein with its ii'reeen'd projecting into said cap receiving space.

' '2. Incombination, a head having an annular rim defining a cap receiving space, said' rim' provided-- witha recess opening laterally masher space, and a cap gripningp'awl pivoted insaid'recess with its free end projecting into said capfreceiving space, and asp ring in said recess backing said pawl and normally urgingits free'end into said spac and allowing said pawl to turn on its'pivottopermit the insertion of a cap therepast into said cap receiving space." i

i3 ."In combination, ahead. having an internal' recess constituting acap seat, and a pair of spaced grippinginembers "pivotally mounted upon said head and projecting'into saidrecess, saidfniembersadapted to be moved away from tte'ca by the insertion o fthe cap therepast into the recessfand springs acting against said members'to automatically return them to cap engagingposition afterthe cap has been seated said recess.

'l ."In combination, a rotatable seat in which a closure having aroughened'rim constituting ratchet surface is mama to be loosely"receivedfand a"pai"r "ofl pawls pivoted to said seat and having their free ends extending opposite directions into the" receiving"i-ecess for the closure to engage opposite points of said ratchetf'surface andc'au'se' the closure to rotate with the seat.

a. In combination, a -rotatable head havmg an internahrecess constltutlng seat for a cap having a roughened rim, and a pawl carried by said head and projecting into said recess for engagement with the rim of said cap to cause the cap to turn with the head when the head is turned in one direction and inefiective to turn the cap when the head is rotated in the opposite direction.

6. In combination, a rotatable head having an internal recess constituting a seat for a cap having a roughened rim, and a pair of oppositely pivoted pawls on said head projecting into said recess and yieldable in one direction to permit the cap to be inserted therepast and automatically returning to position to engage the rim of said cap to cause the cap to turn with the head when the head is turned in one direction and ineffective to turn the cap when the he: d is rotated in the opposite direction.

7. In combination, a rotatable head having an internal recess constituting a seat for a cap adapted to be applied to a container by rotation, and having oppositely pivoted engaging devices disposed in the direction of seating rotation of the cap and adapted to engage opposite portions of the cap rim and rotate said cap when the head is turned in one direction and to ride idly over said rim without imparting turning tendency to the cap when the head is rotated in the opposite direction.

8. In combination, a rotatable head having an internal recess constituting a seat for a cap adapted to be applied to a container by rotation, and having oppositely pivoted engaging devices disposed in the direction of seating rotation of the cap and adapted to engage opposite portions of the cap rim and rotate said cap when the head is turned in one direction thereby to correctany inequalities in the bearing rim surfaces of cap and, container in the seating of the cap on the container.

9. In combination, a head having a depending internally recessed rim providing a cap seat, and a gripping member yieldably mounted in said rim with its engaging face projecting slightly into said recess, said member adapted to be moved outwardly by the insertion of a cap therepast into said recess and to automatically return to position to engage the cap rim after the cap has found its seat in said recess.

10. In a hand tool of the class described, a head having a peripheral configuration adapting it to be readily grasped in the fin ers of one hand and having an overlying handle portion between which and the top face of the head, the hand is adapted to be inserted with the palm bearing against said top surface and the fingers grasping adjacent portions of said periphery.

11. In a hand tool of the class described, a rotatable head providing a seat for a closure, said head adapted to be grasped in the hand and having an overlying handle portion adapted to engage the back of the hand whereby the tool may be secured to the hand, and means mounted upon said head and adapted to engage the closure to cause the closure to rotate with the rotation of the head.

12. In a hand tool of the class described, a head providing a seat for a closure and having a peripheral configuration of such form as to provide a series of spaced indentations into which the fingers of the hand may fit and having a face against which the palm of the hand may bear whereby the head may be conveniently grasped and rotated, and means mounted upon said head and adapted to engage the closure to cause the closure to rotate with the rotation of the head.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERVIN W. TATE. Witnesses:

W. L. FAY, E. S. BUESLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

